


A New Home And Family

by Magnonette



Series: A lot can happen to Snufkin [5]
Category: Moominvalley (Cartoon 2019), Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson, 楽しいムーミン一家 | Moomin (Anime 1990)
Genre: Baby Snusmumriken | Snufkin, Backstory, Fluff, king of, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-10
Updated: 2019-09-10
Packaged: 2020-10-14 02:23:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20593127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magnonette/pseuds/Magnonette
Summary: Snufkin had once been found in a basket and been taken care of until he decided to go on his own adventure, and found Moomin Valley.Where was he back then? Who took care of him? What made him decide to leave? How did he left? Where did he got his precious harmonica?What if he had been found by a nice and caring principal of an orphanage?





	A New Home And Family

**Author's Note:**

> So I wanted to project a little on Snufkin but ended up just making things much too soft, because I wish this was that easy for everyone. Anyway, I had a though : What if Snufkin had been in an orphanage when he was found, but not like in all other fics I've read, a nice orphanage?
> 
> And that's how I ended up with this fic, soooo... Enjoy?

When he was young, Snufkin was found, abandoned, by the principal of an orphanage.  
On the contrary of many other orphanages, the one he ended up in wasn't a bad and abusive one. It was actually quite a pleasant one.

The principal was a nice lady who treated all the children with the love and care that any children deserved. She treated them as her own children. All of them were taught how to be nice with and respect each other and care about others.

But, despite how nice everything and everyone was, Snufkin still felt like he was stuck in a cage. The orphanage that he loved was becoming more of a prison for him. He had always been more quieter than the other and preferred being outside rather than playing inside with the others. He always preferred to be left alone. He was very independent, more than some of the oldest children even.

He wasn't one to complain out loud to anybody. He thought about talking to the principal about how he was feeling, but he liked her and he didn't want to hurt her, or make her think she wasn't treating him right, because she was, and he knew it.

It was just... Snufkin wasn't made to stay in one place, stuck inside a house, or an orphanage. It was in his blood, the blood of a wanderer. He couldn't stay. He loved this place and the people in it. He was grateful to have been found by such a caring woman. But he had to go, before it got too much for him. He didn't want to come to hate this place, so he had to leave.

One day he woke up earlier than the others, which he had always done but would usually just wait in bed for everyone to wake up as to not bother them and wake them up. He prepared his backpack as quietly as possible. 

The principal had bought it for him, and one for everyone as well when she had decided that they should go on a little camping expedition. After that, she had noticed that Snufkin was doing much better in the woods alone ,and that he seemed be a little depressed when he was stuck inside for too long. So she had decided to authorize him to go out from time to time, as long as he stayed safe and came back after a few days.

He shouldered his backpack and started heading out when a noise behind him made him stop.

"So you're leaving?" The principal sighed sadly from behind him.

Snufkin stayed silent. He didn't turn around to face her, instead opting to look down at his feet. He had been hoping that she wouldn't notice him leaving. He didn't want to have this discussion. He didn't want to have to say goodbye like this, and he was scared that she wouldn't let him go. To him it was better and easier to just leave without anyone noticing. Sadly his plans hadn't gone the way he had hoped. And here he was now, standing in front of the door, caught sneaking out and unable to say anything, the principal standing behind him. He was scared of how she would react, somehow awaiting to be yelled at for wanting to run away without so much as a word. He had never seen her or heard her yell at anybody, her kind and calm nature the only thing she ever shown to them, but he was afraid it would probably be her only reaction. There was a start for everything as they said.

"I knew this moment would come ever since we went on that camping trip the other summer." She said, a sad smile in her voice. "I always knew that you were not like the others. You're not meant to be kept in one place."

Snufkin finally turned to look at her, his head still down but eyes looking up at her timidly. This was definitely not the reaction he was imagining. 

She had a fond but sad smile on her face. She approached him, kneeling down in front of him.

"It's alright." She said, putting a warm paw on his head and stroking his hair gently. "It's in your nature to wander."

"How- How do you know?" he asked quietly.

"Because you're a mumrik, and it's in the mumrik's nature to wander." She explained simply.

"A mumrik?" 

He had never been aware of what creature he was until now. He knew that he was different from the others. He wasn't a Hemulen or a fillyjonk, he seemed to be closer to a mymble but not quite, he couldn't be sure of what exactly he was, until now. A mumrik. He was a mumrik. He had heard things about them but he had never seen one before. And didn't know much about them.

"Yes. You're a mumrik. And a nice little one." She added with a warm and proud smile as she stood up.

She went to a closet, retrieving something from somewhere high in it. Whatever she was reaching for seemed to have been hiding behind a bunch of other articles as she had trouble finding it. He watched her curiously from where he stood in the doorway. He couldn't help her even if he wanted as he was far too small to reach the higher shelves.

"Ah! Found it!" She cheered.

She retrieved the object, hiding it from his curious eyes as she looked at him with a smirk. She approached him again and place a big green hat on his head. It was a little oversize but not by much.

"It's your hat." She claimed as he looked up at her, lifting the brim of the hat with one of his tiny paws. "It was with you when I found you, but you were much too small back then to keep it. So, I kept it safe for when you would be big enough to wear it." She kneeled in front of him again, grabbing his shoulders gently. "It looks like you're big enough now." She said, emotions clears in her slightly shaky voice as she pulled him in a hug.

Snufkin wasn't used to being hugged, he wasn't really good with physical attentions. But, he did not pull away from her. Instead, he hugged her back, it was a little awkward but it was there. When she pulled back, wiping tears from her eyes, she smiled at him.

"I hope we will see each other again some day." She said. She lifted his hat to stroke his hair one last time, kissing him on his forehead before putting it back. "Be safe."

He nodded, his eyes filling with tears as well though he didn't let them spill. She went to the kitchen and gave him some food for his trip and some more equipment before she decided that he was well prepared enough. He was about to go when she stopped him again, asking him to wait a moment as she ran back inside to find something else. When she came back she put an orange feather on his hat.

"It's much better now." She smiled as she looked at him. "Now you have a souvenir from us."

Then she took his hand in one paw, turning so the palm of his paw was facing up, and she put something in it. When she let go Snufkin looked at the item in his hand and back up at her. He was confused, but there was some excitement hidden behind his facade.

"I know how much you liked it." She explained as he looked between the harmonica she had put in his palm and up at her. "You can keep it. None of us know how too play better than you. And I'm sure you could use some music on your travel."

This time, Snufkin couldn't keep his emotions to himself. He jumped in her arms, wrapping his tiny arms around her, paws gripping the fabric of her dress tightly as he hugged her. She welcomed the embrace, rubbing circles on his back, under the backpack, until he felt ready to let go of her and start going on his own adventure, alone.

"Thank you." He said quietly. And he meant it. It wasn't just for the gifts. It was for everything she had done for him, from the moment she took him in her care to the moment she accepted to let him go.

She waved him goodbye as he disappeared between the trees.

When he found himself wandering alone, for the first time without any destination in mind or any time limit, he wondered why he wanted to leave so badly. No. It wasn't true. He knew why he wanted, needed to leave. He knew he couldn't have stayed. He would have felt trapped and it would have gotten worst and could have made everything more difficult. Still, now that he was walking away, he thought back on how nice everything and everyone was, and how he kind of wished he could have stayed despite his urge to go.

Maybe, he thought, he could go back one day. Him going now didn't mean that he needed to never come back after all. Maybe, they would still be there and would welcome him back.

He tried to distract himself as he continued on his way, deciding to play his harmonica to keep his mind off the thoughts of going back. He wondered distantly if he would ever find a place as welcoming as this one and where, maybe, he wouldn't feel trapped and feel the urge to go away.

"Snufkin!" 

A voiced called out from outside his tent. Snufkin looked one last time at his hat, caressing the soft feather with his fingers. He smiled, putting his hat back on his head before heading outside.

"What took you so long?" Little My scolded, tiny paws on her hips and leaning forward a little.

"Did you oversleep?" Sniff asked distantly, more focused on the bag of food next to them.

"It's not like you to be late." Snorkmaiden teased gently.

"Did you go to sleep that late?" Moomintroll asked, curious as always to know what his best friend had been up to.

"Come on! We're never going to be back on time for dinner if you don't move your lazy ass!" Little My mocked.

"Language Little My." Snufkin replied as he came out of his tent. "Good morning everyone."

"Piss off! I'm older than you!" She pouted.

Snufkin laughed as they started to walk towards their new adventure of the day. He let them walk a little ahead of him as he turned back to look at the Moomins house. He smiled at the sight, finding his harmonica in his pocket and gripping it tightly in his paw.

Yes. He had found it. A new place he could call 'Home'. A warm and welcoming place that accepted him as he was. A place that always welcomed him back after every winter he spent traveling. A place were he had found a new 'family' and his true family.

He had come to find a beautiful Valley, full of places to explore. He had found people that loved him and cared for him. He had made friends and family.

He had found a place where, even when he still got his urge to leave every winter and sometimes for a few days while he stayed, he would always come back, and would never get tired of it. He never felt caged here. Not even when he was stuck inside during a storm, or when he occasionally got sick, or even hurt. Never did he once feel trap in Moomin Valley.

The Moomins and their friends reminded him of the orphanage and of the lovely people that took care of him back there.

A tap on the shoulder drew him out of his thoughts.

"Snufkin? Are you alright?" Moomin asked him, a concerned look on his face.

Dear Moomintroll, Snufkin thought to himself, always worrying about others, and about him.

"Of course!" He gave the troll a wide smile, shaking his head. "I was just lost in my thoughts."

"Oh?" Moomin sounded curious, like always. He linked their paws together as they started walking towards the others again. "What were you thinking about?"

Snufkin hummed teasingly. Moomin seemed to pout a little at his lack of answers. Snufkin squeezed his paw as he laughed.

"Just some old memories." He said, not without a certain fondness to his words, squeezing his harmonica in his paw. "Of my past."

Moomin's ears perked up. He had never mentioned his past to any of them before and Moomin had assumed that maybe it was because it was better not to know. He had secretly worried that Snufkin had gone through some horrible things in his youth that he didn't wish to remember. But now that he was talking a little about it, he could see that he had been wrong to worry so much.

"Do you want to hear about it?" Snufkin gave him a wide and teasing grin.

"Not if your not comfortable with it!" Moomin said firmly, so serious it made the mumrik laughed again and Moomin found himself blushing.

"I wouldn't suggest it if I wasn't okay with it." He chuckled.

He had found a place with lovely people and made friends, found a family. But also... He had found love.

Snufkin stopped walking, bringing Moomin closer to press his nose against Moomin's snout, giving him a proper Moominkiss. Moomin beamed at him when they pulled back and they started walking again.

"So..." Snufkin started, still wearing a wide and beautiful smile. "I was found in a basket...."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all for reading. I hope you enjoyed as much as I loved writing this one.
> 
> To be honest, it was going to be a fic were I wanted to show how one could live in a nice place, with a lot of people around that care about you, but where you still felt caged. I wanted to show the internal struggle it puts you through when you know you're in a good place but end up feeling like you're in jail. But, because everything concerning the Moomins shows and books makes me go soft, I ended up with just a nice little backstory for Snufkin and made it easy for him to get away from there before it would make him feel trapped to the point where it's unbearable.


End file.
